David Wells - Cursed Bones

“Dear Maker,” she said when he was finished. “The Sin’Rath are not entirely human. The Reishi Coven has had a long-standing agreement with them that we would not set foot on Karth if they didn’t set foot outside of Karth. Isabel has broken that treaty. There’s no telling how the Sin’Rath will react. They’re completely mad.

“By far the most immediately dangerous development is the doppelganger spell. Such magic links the two subjects of the spell at a very basic level. If the Sin’Rath witch dies, Isabel will die as well.

“Alexander, I must call the coven to me at the fortress island. Only with all of our strength together do we have a chance of dispelling the doppelganger spell, and I assure you that Phane will see through it. We might not have much time.”

“How long will it take you?”

“Several days to assemble all of the witches,” Magda said. “Sooner if you deliver the messages with your newfound and quite impressive talent.”

“Of course. I’ll spread the word. Once you help Isabel, would you be willing to help get Abigail back?”

“Absolutely,” Magda said. “Anything you need.”

“It may involve travel,” Alexander said.

“I’ll pack warmly.”

“Thank you, Magda,” he said. “Oh, one more thing, do you know what a Goiri is?”

Magda frowned, shaking her head. “I’ve never heard the term before but I will consult the coven’s library when I return to the fortress island. Perhaps I’ll find something there.”

“One of the Sin’Rath mentioned it to Isabel, then another silenced her like she was saying too much,” Alexander said. “Might be nothing.”

“Better to know for certain,” Magda said.

“My thoughts exactly,” Alexander said before he returned to the table and faced Prince Torin.

“We’re not acquainted,” Alexander said, “but I believe you are Prince Torin, brother of Princess Lacy.”

“I am, and I swear Fellenden’s allegiance to the Reishi,” Torin said.

“No,” Alexander said, “swear your allegiance to the Old Law, not the Reishi.”

Torin blinked, then frowned quizzically.

“Tell me about your sister,” Alexander said.

Torin thought for a moment, then described Lacy in look and manner.

“I have good but troubling news for you,” Alexander said. “Lacy is alive, but she’s being held prisoner aboard a ship manned by Phane’s men disguised to look like Zuhl’s men. I believe they’re playing out an elaborate ruse to trick Lacy into opening the magical box she found in Carlyle Fellenden’s tomb. I can’t let that happen.”

“Lady Abigail sent a hundred men after her, led by Captain Wyatt,” Torin said. “They’ve clearly failed.”

“It could be that they just haven’t succeeded yet,” Alexander said. “I know Wyatt, he’s a good man in a fight and he doesn’t quit.”

“What do you propose then?” Torin asked.

“For the moment, we do nothing,” Alexander said. “I’ll gather more information and try to come up with a viable plan.”

“That isn’t very reassuring,” Torin said. “She’s all I have left. There must be something you can do.”

“I can’t project an illusion to speak with her because the man in the cell next to her works for Phane, although Lacy doesn’t know that. I can talk to her in her dreams, but I’m not certain I should. Tell me, is she a good liar? If I reveal a plan to her, will she be able to keep it from Phane’s agent?”

“No,” Torin said, shaking his head. “She’s a terrible liar. She’s probably safer if she doesn’t know what we’re planning.”

“Then we don’t have a move right now,” Alexander said. “We have to get our people closer first, then we’ll start to have options. We’ll get her back, Torin.”

“I’ve always been there to protect her,” Torin said. “It doesn’t seem right that I’m not there for her now.”

“I know exactly how you feel,” Alexander said.

He vanished from behind the chair and reappeared at the foot of Anatoly’s bed.

“Is that really you?” Anatoly asked, his voice weak.

“I’m not actually here, but it’s me,” Alexander said.

“I’m sorry,” Anatoly whispered. “I couldn’t stop them.”

“As I heard it, you prevented her from being crushed by a falling ceiling,” Alexander said. “You saved her life. How are you faring?”

“Healers say I should be on my feet in a few days,” Anatoly said.

“If you’re up to it, I want to send you after her,” Alexander said.

“I’ll be ready,” Anatoly said.

“Don’t push too hard, you don’t want to reopen your wounds,” Alexander said, “besides, my plan won’t be ready for a few days.”

“All right,” Anatoly said. “How are things going with you?”

Alexander gave him a brief synopsis of his travels to the Spires and his current state.

“Things are going to get ugly come spring,” Anatoly said. “Think you’ll be in fighting form by then?”

“I’m hoping,” Alexander said. “In the meantime, I’m going to make the most of this new magical talent I’ve developed and try to get us as ready as possible for spring thaw. Rest and heal. I’ll be back in a few days. Oh, who has the Thinblade?”

“I do,” Anatoly said, pulling the sheathed sword from under the covers. The hilt was tied to the scabbard to prevent it from being drawn. “I’ve got her bow, too. It’s under the bed.”

“Good man. Get well,” Alexander said before vanishing.

He went to Cassandra next, materializing on the plateau of the fortress island and sending a gardener to retrieve the triumvir. She arrived, a bit perplexed and wary but willing to hear him out nonetheless. Once he explained the situation, she donned the mantle of leader and began preparing her coven for the spell casting.

Bianca had her people saddling wyverns for all of her witches before Alexander vanished into the firmament again.

Constance was in a command tent attending a war council with the senior staff of Alexander’s Ruathan army in Buckwold. He appeared behind an empty chair at the table and waited for the room to fall silent.

“Hi, Dad,” he said.

“Alexander? How?” Duncan asked.

“I just figured out how to do this today,” Alexander said. “It’s good to see you.”

“You as well, Son,” Duncan said. “I’m assuming you’re not really here.”

“No, I’m on Tyr,” Alexander said. He spent several minutes explaining the situation they faced, Isabel’s predicament and Abigail’s abduction. Duncan took the news stoically, but Alexander could see the deep distress in his colors at the news that his only daughter was being held by the enemy.

“Do you have a plan to get your wife and sister back?” Duncan asked.

“I have a plan for Abigail,” Alexander said. “It’s risky, but it has a good chance of working, and it may deal a serious blow to Zuhl if it does. As for Isabel, Magda has called all of the witches back to the coven to dispel the doppelganger spell before Phane discovers the Sin’Rath’s ruse and inadvertently kills Isabel.”

“I’ll gather the witches under my command and depart immediately,” Constance said. “Unfortunately, I have a witch in Kai’Gorn and another in Southport.”

“I’ll go there next and deliver their orders,” Alexander said. “How are things here?”

Duncan sighed. “We’re in trouble. Come spring, the Lancers will breach our lines and pour into the northern plains. From there, once they’re out in the open, they’ll be able to attack anywhere north of the GreatForest.”

“What do you need to stop them?” Alexander said.

“I don’t think there’s anything you can give me that will stop them,” Duncan said. “Our line is just too long to hold. We’ll probably stop their first attack and maybe even their second, but eventually, they will get through. Once that happens, I could really use a legion of Rangers.”